Ring traveler



June 12, 1956 G. sTAHLl RING TRAVELER Filed April 29, 1952 United States Patent Q RING TRAVELER Gustav Stiihli, Winterthur, Switzerland, assignor to Actiongesellscliaft .loh. Jacob Pieter & Cie., Winterthur, Switzerland, a corporation of Switzerland Application April 29, 1952, Serial No. 284,873

Claims priority, application Switzerland May 29, 1951 9 Claims. (Cl. 57-125) The present invention relates to ring travelers for spinning and twisting machines whose construction is based on the use of a plastic substance.

It has been proposed to make ring travelers of thermoplastic materials, for example nylon, polystyrenes, cellulose ester, vinyl chloride, or other polymers, because these substances are easily worked and formed. Such rings, however, do not aflford increased output of the machines in connection with which they are used because travelers made of such thermoplastic materials melt and are quickly worn out by the heat developed by friction between the traveler and the ring. They also change their original configuration when heavily loaded and subjected to thread tension and centrifugal force over long periods. To overcome these deficiencies, it has been proposed to reinforce the interior of the traveler with metal. Such travelers better retain their original configuration, but their susceptivity to wear is the same because of their thermoplastic surface.

Tests have shown that the durability of plastic travelers depends not only on the response of the plastic material to heat but particularly on the mechanical hardness of the material.

I have found that travelers made of non-thermoplastic materials or travelers having at least the surfaces which are subjected to friction made of non-thermoplastic and very hard materials overcome the aforedescribed difficulties. Thermo-setting phenol resins having a mechanical hardness of an Hv up to 60 kg./mm. appear to be most suitable. Such materials, however, could not be used so far because of their brittleness and slight deformability.

It is the object of the present invention to provide a ring traveler having an elastically yielding portion which enables mounting of the traveler on the ring, although the parts of the traveler subjected to friction are made of only slightly deformable material. For the latter, thermosetting formaldehyde condensation products with urea or phenol have been found most suitable. The yielding and flexible portion of the travelers according to the invention are preferably made of an elastic plastic substance or of steel. Natural or artificial fibre material may be embedded in the elastic portion of the traveler.

Further and other objects of the present invention will be hereinafter set forth in the accompanying specification and claims, and shown in the drawing which, by way of illustration, shows what I now consider to be preferred embodiments of my invention.

In the drawing:

Fig. 1 illustrates a ring traveler at the moment it is mounted on its ring;

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view of a ring traveler according to the invention having an elastic portion made of a plastic substance;

Fig. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view of a modification of the traveler shown in Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a longitudinal sectional view of a modified ring traveler according to the invention;

Fig. 5 is a side view of a ring traveler in which the flexible portion is made of steel;

Fig. 6 is an enlarged sectional view of a portion of the ring shown in Fig. 5;

Fig. 7 is a part sectional view of a modified ring traveler having a reduced cross-section to provide a yielding portion, fibre material being inlaid for reenforcement;

Figs. 8 and 9 are longitudinal sectional views illustrating modifications of the traveler according to Fig. 7;

Figs. 10 and 11 illustrate modifications of ring travelers according to the invention having portions made elastic by reducing their cross-sections;

Fig. 12 is a cross-sectional view of a modified ring traveler according to the invention and a part sectional view of the ring on which it travels.

Like parts are designated by like numerals in all Figures of the drawing.

Fig. l of the drawing shows a ring traveler 1 according to the invention having a portion 3 extending between dash-dot lines a and b, which portion affords the deformation required for putting the traveler on the ring 2. The legs 4 of the traveler are so dimensioned that they withstand the stresses at the illustrated moment although they are made of relatively brittle material.

The legs 5 of the ring traveler shown in Fig. 2 are made of hard plastic materials of the type defined at the outset of this specification, i. e. having a hardness up to 60 kg./mrn. and consisting, for example, of thermo-setting formaldehyde condensation products with urea or phenol. The elastic portion 6 is made of an elastic plastic substance, nylon or other tough polymers having been found most suitable. Portion 6 can withstand the deformation required for putting the traveler on its ring and is capable of damping vibrations which may occur between the legs 5 during operation of the traveler.

Fig. 3 shows a modification of the construction according to Fig. 2 which is easier to manufacture and in which the legs 5 are connected by a relatively thin portion 7 of the same material as the legs. The thin portion 7 is reinforced on the outside by layers 8 made of elastic plastic material.

In the embodiment according to Fig. 4, a portion of the traveler is made elastic by reducing its cross-section by the provision of a recess or fissure 10 and reinforcing the portion by a metal inlay 9 whose ends are bent over for anchoring same in the leg portions 5". The inlay 9 has a concavely bent portion adjacent to the bottom of the fissure 10 for increasing the deformability of the traveler. When the traveler is in operation, centrifugal force and thread tension tend to open it. The extent of such opening is limited by the width of the fissure 10.

Fig. 5 illustrates an embodiment of the invention in which the flexible portion of the traveler is formed by a steel wire 11 having circular or rectangular cross-section, the ends of the steel wire being anchored in the legs 12. The latter are so shaped that they, and not the steel wire, contact the ring on which the traveler runs. Fig. 6 illustrates the manner of anchoring the steel wire 11 in the legs 12. Because of the brittleness of the plastic substance and its tendency to shrink during the pressing operation, there is a possibility that the leg 12 bursts adjacent to the flexible member 11. To avoid this, the ends of member 11 are wrapped by an elastic material 13, for example fibrous material, before the legs are pressed thereunto. The elastic wrapping absorbs the shrinking stress and assures intimate connection of the parts 11 and 12. The ends of the steel wire 11 may be swaged, as shown.

Flexibility of the traveler shown in Fig. 7 is obtained by special configuration of the arcuate part of the traveler between its legs 15. The arcuate part has a portion of reduced cross-section, a recess being provided at the out- 3 side of the arc. The minimum cross-section c suflices to withstand the stresses occurring when the traveler is put on its ring. Fibre strands 14 are embedded in the arcuate portion of the traveler as a reenforcement.

Fig. 8 illustrates a modification of the traveler shown in Fig. 7. Here, so much fibre material is embedded that a sort of laminated structure is produced during the pressing operation, and the proportion between plastic substance and fibre material between the sections indicated by dash-dot lines a and b is such that the elasticity thereat greatly differs from that of the substantially unyieldable plastic substance. The plastic material predominates in the leg portions 15', whereas the fibre material predominates between the sections a and b. The portion 20 which has a reduced cross-section is much more elastic and tougher than the leg portions and is capable of being sufiiciently bent when the traveler is mounted on its ring. The construction of the elastic portion 20 is particularly resistant to knocks. The fibre material may consist of webs of natural or artificial fibres. Particularly suitable are superimposed fabric strips, especially fabrics of mixed synthetic polymers and cotton.

Light travelers may be constructed as shown in Fig. 9 in which a large portion of the arcuate part 17 of the traveler has a reduced cross-section. The inlaid fibre material predominates over the plastic material between the sections defined by dash-dot lines and d and extends into the legs To improve slidableness and extend the life of the traveler, the arcuate portion 1'? may be covered by a protective coat 17' of synthetic resin.

For special applications, two flexible portions may be provided instead of one as shown in Fig. 10.

Fig. 11 shows a yarn traveler in which the flexible portion 20 is so positioned that a maximum opening of the ends 16 is obtained at minimum deformation of the fiexible portion. The opened traveler is shown in dotted lines. The flexible portion may be placed in a difierent position on the traveler, if desired.

Without appreciably changing the fundamental quaiities of the substance the traveler according to the invention is made of, small amounts of suitable filling substances may be added. Especially suitable is an addition of graphite or talcum for increasing slidableness. Addition of a metal powder, for example, aluminum powder, increases heat conductivity, whereby unduly high temperatures of the surface of the traveler caused by friction are avoided.

Fig. 12 illustrates a traveler having a T-shaped crosssectional configuration, the end of the vertical leg sliding on the ring surface 18. Numeral 19 indicates fibrous material inlaid in the relatively brittle plastic substance of which the travelers according tothe invention are made.

While I believe the above described embodiments of my invention to be preferred embodiments, I wish it to be understood that I do not desire to be limited to the exact details of design and construction shown and described, forobvious modifications will occur to a person skilled in the art.

I claim:

1. A ring traveler having two hook-shaped leg portions bent toward each other and an elastically deformable portion interconnecting said hook-shaped leg portions to afford springing apart of said leg portions when mounting the traveler on a ring, said leg portions being made of a thermosetting synthetic resin containing a filling substance increasing slidableness.

2. A ring traveler according to claim 1, said filling substance being graphite.

3. A ring traveler according to claim 1, said filling substance being talcum.

4. A ring traveler made substantially of thermosetting synthetic resin containing a metallic filling powder for increasing heat conductivity, and having a resilient portion affording springing apart the ends of the traveler in mounting the traveler on its ring.

5. A ring traveler according to claim 4, said metallic filling powder being aluminum powder.

6. A ring traveler, having two legs made of thermosetting synthetic resin and partially embracing the ring, a leg-connecting resilient portion made of hard material of less contractibility than that of said synthetic resin for affording springing apart said legs in mounting of the traveler on a ring, said resilient portion comprising extensions embedded in said legs and being wrapped with a compressible and elastic material to prevent cracking of the synthetic resin in which said extensions are embedded.

7. A ring traveler as claimed in claim 6, wherein the leg-connecting resilient portion is made of metal.

8. A ring traveler made of a non-resilient thermosetting synthetic resin and having an intermediate resilient portion made of substantially laminated elastic material for affording mounting of the traveler on a ring.

9. A ring traveler comprising two leg portions made of a nonresilient thermosetting resin, an intermediate portion having a resilient core extending from one leg portion into the other, a coating of the same non-resilient thermosetting resin merging into the legs, said coating being interrrupted for a relatively short range to allow the deformation of said resilient core for springing apart said leg portions in mounting or demounting the traveler on its ring.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,512,254 Wentworth Oct. 21, 1924 1,735,469 Morin Nov. 12, 1929 1,834,874 Schaaif Dec. 1, 1931 1,953,323 Wentworth Apr. 3, 1934 1,990,358 Wentworth Feb. 5, 1935 2,035,973 McLeod Mar. 31, 1936 2,198,636 Schaaif Apr. 30, 1940 2,326,834 Camp Aug. 17, 1943 FOREIGN PATENTS 260,540 Switzerland July 16, 1949 430,520 Great Britain June 20, 1935 

